


Negotiations

by Digishima



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Green Lantern - All Media Types, Justice League - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fuck Continuity, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:09:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23226097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Digishima/pseuds/Digishima
Summary: Hal has never done a solo treaty negotiation before, and when the species refuse to speak to anyone without their mate accompanying them, so Hal grabs the first Leaguer he can.It just didn’t go the way he planned.
Relationships: Hal Jordan/Bruce Wayne
Comments: 9
Kudos: 124





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yes this is cross-posted on Tumblr @batlanternslight. I answer asks in character over there, too.

"It's been a month."

"That is how time works, Spooky. So glad you know how to keep track," Hal grunted from his spot at the desk, unusually somber as he read through the papers and other assorted files on hologram screens and tablets. Occasionally he flashed his ring at the odd word that had slipped his mind, but he was doing a fair job translating the alien language on his own. He'd been trained in the language for months before he'd even considered asking the Dark Knight to join him.

Months. Almost a full year, now that Hal thought about it. The treaty with the Amorians had been something the Corps had been trying to negotiate since sector 2814 received it's first Lantern. And since Hal was said Lantern, it was ultimately his job, despite John or possibly and of the other Lanterns in the sector being more suited for politics than he was.  
Amori was an interesting planet; don't get Hal wrong. It was a formerly deserted planet that was made the home of a species after their original planet, Amor, was destroyed. They'd crossed sectors to repopulate and terraform Amori, and, as such, previous negotiations with that sector's Lantern had been abandoned. Their people believed in soul mates. For good reason. They had a red tentacle type thing that, when two of their species connected so deeply and so emotionally that they were, in a sense, soul mates. Those tentacles would link together and disappear when they were so far apart, materializing once they were close again.

The thing that interested Hal the most was that this was apparently not isolated to their own species. They would fall in love with people across the universe and the tethers between each other would appear. These were apparently universal. While the Amorians had developed to be able to tangibly see the links, they apparently existed across every known species in the galaxy.

What does all this have to do with Hal's mission? Well, they refuse - REFUSE - to allow people who are not considered soul mates on their planet. They test any who land on their planet and are exceptionally violent with those who fail their tests. Hal had been tasked to curb their attacks and hopefully reach a more open stance on their visitors.  
Roadblock Number 1: They would not accept negotiations with a singular person. It had to be with a couple.

Hal had failed to recruit even a single other member from the League for a deep space mission without a time stamp for a return date. He'd approached the only man he knew with extra hands on deck, despite the eternal hatred they seemed to share with each other. Bruce Wayne, AKA Batman, had his child army to watch over Gotham with him gone, despite his hesitance.

Part of the hesitance was likely that the space cop had popped into the Bat Cave without clearance and had caught Bruce out of costume working through case files.

"No," had been the first word out of his mouth.

"Bruce," Hal had called firmly. "You don't even know why I'm here."

The man pinched at the bridge of his nose and crossed his arms shortly after. "Okay. What?"

"Ever the conversationalist," he shot back nervously, "now, look. You weren't exactly my first pick here, Spooky. But I have a treaty to negotiate with a planet on the outskirts of the sector that's getting violent with visitors.

"The planet is only open to 'soul mates' and they'll only negotiate with a couple. It's my sector to protect and I need this to go smoothly. I need you," he explained. And wow, did his voice strain a little on that last sentence. He wouldn't mention that. He just watched the billionaire and waited for him to be rejected.

Bruce took in a deep, slow breath, then let it out loudly and exasperated. "Fine."

It took Hal a moment, but when it processed, he beamed. "Awesome. Deep space road trip and politics!" He was maybe a little too relieved to finally have someone agree to do this with him.

Hal had given Bruce a week to arrange between the rest of the vigilantes in the area to cover Gotham's crime while he was gone. Another week for the two of them to gather supplies and arrange a suitable alibi for Bruce's disappearance.

Then they were off into space.

The trip to Oa was thankfully avoided by just sending Kyle in his stead. The ship they were traveling in was not warp safe and that. That sucked ass. The travel up there was a good month of Hal explaining things. They exchanged the basics of what to know about each other and fought quite a bit. That basically brings it back to now, with them circling Amori just inside it's orbit like a satellite as Hal worked on the treaty with Batman hovering over him. Hal was very relieved that he wasn't able to speak Amorian.

Hal turned to look at the monochrome hero. "I told you this was going to be a long trip, Bruce. You agreed to this. We still have a long while to go depending on how well these go. So buckle up and shut the fuck up so I can memorize these points before we have to meet with them. Go entertain yourself with something, I don't know. Just buzz off," he snapped testily. He probably needed to sleep. Hah, that wasn't going to happen.

Bruce just turned and left the room.


	2. Chapter 2

Despite being kicked out of the meeting room, Bruce was still aware enough of the Lantern to know that he would fall after a few more moments. He researched the cases he had to work on back on Earth, despite being aware of the fact that they’ll likely be solved by the time he is back on solid ground. He didn’t really mind, though.

All good things must come to an end, however. Eventually the cases he did bring with him were either solved or at an impasse. Well, they had lasted a month. That was something. But now he needed something else to do.

The ship they were in was not the Javelin that Batman had for the League, but rather one that Hal had lovingly dubbed "The Junker." The Junker had been built piece by piece by Hal during his time spent off Earth, back during the years before his third son was with him. It was during the trip to Earth from Oa, Hal explained, that he had learned the ship couldn't hold together through warp portals and wormholes, and he'd been piecing it back together in one of the bunkers at Ferris ever since.

Bruce had mapped it out when he was still on Earth, scoping out the small bedrooms, the cockpit, the Business room (another name from Hal), the overstocked kitchen, lavatory, and a small space lined with benches along the walls that made up the storage area. Hal had engaged an artificial gravity when they had completed launch, which was a large benefit to Bruce, who enjoyed being weightless as little as possible.

Since their lift off, Hal had been keeping himself busy with the treaty and negotiation, but between translations and editing, they had talked. Hal had mentioned he often kept beat up books around when he was out in space, to distract him and remind him of home. Had offered them to Bruce in case he needed something to entertain himself.

Making up his mind, Bruce turned and stepped back into the Business room to grab one of the books from the tiny shelf when he noticed that the Lantern was very much passed out on top of the table. The hologram screens and tablets were still glowing and hovering softly in the air around him. 

Bruce rolled his eyes and retreated to the bedrooms to grab the blanket from his bed. He draped it over his colleague's shoulders and grabbed the first book he saw. Rather than leaving, he decided to take a seat in the corner and read.

Fight Club.

The book was well worn. The corners dog eared from starting and stopping multiple times, the cover held on with tape, and a messy "Hal Jordan, Grade 10" scribbled onto the inside cover with the book. So he'd held onto the book for a while. It seemed most of the books Hal had brought were similarly worn. 

Bruce sat back to read until the screens started to flash red. He looked up in time to watch Hal jolt upright, slamming his knee against the underside of the table and shouting an expletive. The Batman closed the book and set it back with the others.

"They're coming!" Hal half-yelled across the room. "Spooky, get your ass in gear!" 

"My ass is in gear," Bruce said, coming up behind Hal and folding up the blanket. 

Hal jumped straight up, the ring keeping him hovering in the air. "Don't do that!"

"You can’t stop me."

Hal dragged a hand down his face, but settled back on the floor to gather the mess of papers and stack them neatly. From the window in the room, they could both see the Amori ship approaching. Hal’s hands shook light lightly and sent the papers fluttering across the floor.

Bruce put a hand on Hal’s shoulder before he could bend down. “Go prepare for them to board. I’ll pick these up.”

He nodded and left quickly, not seeing much reason in fighting this.

Hal herded the Amorians into the meeting room where Bruce has decided to remain. He gave an accessing glance to the ambassador Amorians. True to what Hal had told him, the couple were connected to each other via a vibrant red line that connected the two in the middle of their chests. Their abdomens were the same vibrant shade, he noted, as they wore open robes that revealed their chests. The red tapered into a pink as it spread down their limbs and ended with white hands and face. Presumably their feet followed the same pattern. They had grayscale hair, one lighter than the other, both long and intricately done up with braids and twists, with four eyes, a nose that barely made a bump on their faces, and sharp, pointed mouths.

Hal flashed the man an uneasy smile. "Batman, these are the ambassadors Tru and Eri. Amorians are a genderless species so we're going to keep things neutral okay."

Batman closed the distance between the two of them, taking the Lantern's hand in his own. "Relax. You need to be confident to get this treaty signed. We'll be okay," he whispered into his ear.

Taking a deep breath, Hal nodded and turned back to the aliens. "Ambassadors Tru, Eri, this is my partner, Batman."

"An honor to meet you." Batman greeted with a small bow of his head, assuming Hal's ring would do the translating that was needed.

The ambassadors nodded and reciprocated the greeting, introducing themselves formally to Batman with a simultaneous. "Our pleasure, Batman."

Green Lantern ushered them all to the meeting table. Batman held the treaty papers out to the Lantern and folded his hand neatly in front of him, listening to Hal begin their talks.


	3. Chapter 3

Hal, for the most part, after he got over the initial onset of nerves, had lead the meeting well. He would establish points of contention that the Amorians had with the treaty and shut them down. On occasion, Bruce would step into the conversation himself to back up Hal's statements and adding in facts he'd heard Hal repeating to himself when he was studying over the past month. It was a good balance. The two of them repeated this process over the next week. They welcomed the two ambassadors aboard the Junker, sat with them in the meeting room for a few hours, and then left back to their planet. The first night, Hal had offered them a room. They'd politely declined and left back to the planet.

Hal had turned as soon as the door had closed and slid back down to the floor. Bruce knelt down next to him, watching the aliens retreat through the tunnel to their own ship. He gave the man a small, reserved smile. "That was good. I think we did good, Lantern."

"I think so, too," Hal sighed, looking up at his partner. "Stop making that face."

"It's called smiling."

"It looks...Weird. Stop that."

Bruce rolled his eyes. "I am human after all."

"So you keep saying." He pushed up and stood, stretching his arms up into the air. "Let's go get food."

Following suit, Bruce hooked his arm with Hal's as they walked away from the gangway. Hal turned his head, looking at the side of Bruce's face before his eyes flickered back to the doors and he caught a flash of the aliens watching from their own access doors. Ah.

He took the hand of the arm linked with his and led Bruce into the kitchens with their fingers entwined. If there was something that the two of them could actually agree on, it was that Hal was going to cook during their trip. Bruce had. Tried. He really tried. But that was not going to fly in the long run. The thing he'd made had not been edible.

Hal set to work on pulling out the meal kits. They weren't the best, but they kept them alive and healthy.

Bruce liked to sit at the bar and read while Hal cooked. He had left "Lord of the Flies" on the table before the Amorians had arrived and picked it back up as his attention flickered between the book and the man who owned it as he bustled about. He had started it the night before, but had easily gotten distracted.

Written in the margins of nearly each and every page were messy script, small and occasionally hard to read. Some of the pencil lines were so far faded that Bruce had to read them based on the imprints they made on the page rather than the actual graphite. Other lines were scribbled in inks of various colors. Hal, in his many years of reading and rereading the book, had written comment after comment on sections and sentences, underlining key phrases. It was a surprising delight that Bruce had enjoyed reading the commentary on the book more than actually reading the text again himself. He had already read the book, after all. Alfred was rather fond of the classics.

Hal had let his uniform fade and was maneuvering around the kitchen in his sweats and a tank top. It didn’t take much to prepare what was basically some mix between astronaut food and MREs. They sure as hell tasted the same as what he’d remembered eating.

His eyes wandered to the book that his companion was paging through. It gave him a small shock to see that his old middle school copy of Lord of the Flies was being handled by the Dark Knight. Bruce’s head was tilted in a way that could only mean he was reading Hal’s commentary and not the actual book.

The corners of Bruce’s mouth twitched up for a moment as he read.

_Jack is a little bitch._

Bruce couldn’t say he disagreed.

The book was closed on his hand by a considerably tanner one. Bruce looked up to Hal, who was carrying a plate in his hand. He slipped the book away from the food so Hal could set his plate down. He dropped a bottle on the table beside the plate and watched the pilot go back to grab his own food before he took the seat across from Bruce. 

The men are in companionable silence, only to be interrupted halfway by Hal’s ring pulling up a transmission.

“The Amorians want us to land tomorrow and have the treaty signing,” Hal translated. He shoved another mouthful of food into his face to keep himself from talking any more than that. He could feel a million what if’s nagging at the back of his mind.

“So we’ll be heading home soon,” Bruce concluded with a hum.

“Assuming everything goes well.”

The unspoken likelihood that it wouldn’t hung in the air as they finish.

Bruce stood, gathering their dishes to clean them. “When do we land?”

“Give or take 8 hours.”

Those hours passed surprisingly fast. They both slept for a few hours before cleaning up the best they could. The Amorians called them down. Hal took the controls and guided the junker to the planet. He wrapped Bruce in a protective layer of willpower before they stepped out of the ship and onto the spongy earth that the planet was made of. 

Tru and Eri welcomed them with pale opalescent bowls filled with a deep red liquid filling them to the brim. Surrounding them were more Amorian officials, of various soul mate statuses, watching them eagerly.

Hal smiled and bowed his head alongside Bruce. His hand clutched the other man’s arm tightly.

“So, this is where we confirm our soulmate status?” Hal smiled softly as he looked at Bruce.

“It is a simple task. Drink, and all will be revealed,” Tru handed the cup to Hal. Bruce took the matching one from Eri.

Bruce turned to face his partner, taking in the nerves starting to bleed into his expression. He tapped the lip of his cup against Hal’s. “Cheers, zvezda moya.”

Hal’s eyes lit up slightly in recognition. “Cheers, neshama sheli.”

The two brought their bowls up to their lips and drank down the liquid. It tasted metallic, spreading across their tongues and mellowing out into a far sweeter taste. They swallowed it down to the last drop.

Hal closed his eyes, taking deep breaths as a dull ache started in his chest. He was about to reveal that they were not actually soulmates. He was about to blow the treaty. He was about to possibly cause Bruce’s death at the hands of these aliens because he had asked for his help.

His emerald eyes opened, looking between the the two of them.

Looking at the red cord that connected them both by their chests.

Hal’s eyes fluttered up to Bruce’s in shock. His body froze. 

Bruce took the initiative and surged forward, pressing a kiss to his lips. They couldn’t react angrily to something like this. They were supposed to be in love after all. Hal held his waist when he finally moved.

Hal kissed back.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Flashback Chapter ; )

Jason was sulking in the Cave when Green Lantern showed up for the first time outside of uniform. He had shuffled anxiously on the doorstep as Bruce debated with Alfred about opening the door for him at all when the voice called, "Bruce, come on! I just...”

Bruce opened the door when he trailed off, something in his voice just edging on depressed enough to prompt the millionaire to open his door. He stepped aside and allowed the man into his home. 

“Ah, Captain Jordan,” Alfred greeted cordially. Hal’s shoulders lifted and his chest puffed out slightly at the title. “What brings you to the manor tonight?”

“I was. Wondering if I could talk to Dick?” He hunched back in on himself. “I know he doesn’t live here anymore but I figured you would know a way to get a hold of him. See if he was able to talk to me.”

Bruce scowled at him. “What do you need with my son?”

Hal sighed. His head tilted back until he could see the ceiling. “I just needed to compare some information he has with my own.”

The air of the conversation shifted. Alfred made himself scarce, excusing himself back to the kitchen to prepare dinner. 

“I don’t want Dick being wrapped up in another alien terrorist plot.”

“It’s not about a case or an assignment.”

“Then what—“

“To talk about our shots.”

Bruce pauses at that. He hadn’t been surprised about Hal, or that Hal knew about Dick, but rather that something was apparently making him feel like he should be concerned about their common condition. “Oh...”

“Yeah, so if you could just—“

“What’s been going on?” He’s asking before he can convince himself not to.

Hal’s shoulders raise, entire body tensing in a defensive stance. “I just need to talk to him.”

“You can talk to me.”

“Off your records?” His tone is biting and angry.

“Hal.”

The pilot deflated. “My sex drive is nonexistent as ever.”

“As ever? I was under the impression from Oliver that you were. Quite the opposite.” He guided Hal to one of the empty bedrooms, hoping to grant the man further privacy given the topic.

Hal allowed himself to be led to the bedroom, obviously exhausted. “I mean. I have sex. That’s not the problem. The problem is that I don’t really. Get anything out of it.” He broke away from Bruce to lay on the bed. His back popped and cracked in protest. “And it’s not a new thing. I’ve always been. You know, broken. But I always chocked it up to—“ He motioned to his entire body. “But now I’ve been on this shit for almost three years. That’s a lot of time to adjust and fix things and while the urge to do it pops up every now and again it just. Doesn’t feel so fantastic.”

“So why are you still having sex?” Bruce asked, sitting on the very edge of the bed.

Hal ran his hands down his face. “Because it’s how I’m supposed to act, right? That’s the shit you do when you’re into someone. And it’s not like it’s all bad. I like kissing. And hickies. Just not so much the rest of it. It’s like I’m in a fucking after school special. ‘Your Body and You’ like what the fuck. I’m too old for this kind of crisis.”

“Have you considered the possibility of being asexual?” Bruce didn’t look up from his phone, which was playing through some security camera footage near Arkham.

Hal stayed quiet. “Nobody likes a flirty tease who doesn’t want to put out when you finally get them in bed.”

He hummed, the phone screen clicking shut. Hal stated that like someone, multiple someones actually, had told him that.

“I don’t think the right person would mind. Someone who doesn’t see the need for sex to have a satisfying relationship with you.”

Hal propped himself up on his elbows, looking at the other man like he had said a joke that wasn’t quite funny. “What exactly would you know about finding a man like that?”

“Someone who’s too busy to worry about you being gone for so long, someone who meets your bullshit ideas point for point. Someone who, while not asexual, doesn’t see a large need for sex and is more than fine with only having it if you feel the want.” Bruce leaned a bit closer, hovering over his face. “Someone who knows there’s not another being in the multiverse quite so willful as yourself.”

Hal closed the gap between them. He pressed their mouths together in a kiss. Bruce brought his hands to either side of Hal on the mattress for balance. Soft and slow and sweet in a way that Hal wasn't expecting from the Dark Knight. It hadn't lasted long, maybe a few minutes at most, before Bruce had rolled away and just laid beside him. Hal rolled over to his side and watched his face. Neither of them had anything more that they wanted to speak about, despite knowing that they needed to.

Eventually an alarm on Bruce's watch went off. They both stood from the bed, and Bruce escorted Hal back to the door. The ring flashed with an assignment as the lock clicked behind him. Hal donned his lantern suit and took off.

When he landed back on Earth two months later, Jason was gone. And whatever door had opened between Bruce and him that night was firmly closed.

It stayed closed when Tim was adopted. It stayed closed when Jason rejoined the Waynes. It stayed closed as Hal invited Bruce to a month long seclusion in space. That door stayed closed as Bruce pressed his mouth to Hal's and the universe designated them soul mates. It was never as if Hal had been unaware of those building feelings for the billionaire. They were something he was aware of on a regular if not daily basis. But he dare not act on them, as that door was closed.


	5. Chapter 5

The treaty was signed shortly after they’d confirmed their status as soul mates. After they’d kissed for the first time in so long.

Celebrating was apparently required after confirming a soul bond. The two heroes weren’t able to speak together in private until they had climbed aboard the Junker to leave for home. Hal was more than a little tipsy, having been surrounded by ecstatic Amorians that kept his cup full of a thick, warm liquor that felt like drinking puréed strawberries and melted chocolate. He’d swung his arm around Bruce’s shoulders as the much more sober man carried him aboard.

Bruce settled the man into his bed and strapped him to the mattress by his waist, pulling the blanket over him once he was secure.

“Bruce,” Hal hummed as his hand twisted up the fabric of his cape.

Bruce pulled off his cowl and knelt down next to the bed. “Yes, Hal?”

“‘M sorry. I know. We shouldn’t do that kinda thing.”

“It was for the mission.”

“Maybe for you, spooky.” And then the man was out like a light. 

Bruce sighed heavily, disconnecting his cape and watching as Hal’s sleeping form tucked himself around the fabric. He stepped back to the controls and, once confirming that the ship was prepared for takeoff, started to fly the ship away from the planet and back towards their own.

The flight was very basic, a straight line back to Earth. There were no obstacles to obstruct their path and the Lantern had been sure to program a number of bells and whistles to allow for a pilotless flight in the case that they needed a rest. Bruce typically preferred to stay close to the controls, though, just to be safe. He tilted the seat back slightly in order to catch a bit of rest. He closed his eyes. He tried not to replay the reveal, or the kiss. 

He woke up to Hal tucking a blanket around him, and the warm weightless feeling of the Lantern’s ring lifting him. He was carried to his room, eyes closed despite his wake, and deposited on the bed. It only took a moment for him to drift off a second time. He stayed asleep for a few more hours before he woke again and stood.

Hal was awake and making food again when Bruce shuffled out again. He looked up at him and slid a plate across the table, a cup of hot coffee already set out for him. Four sugar packets and 7 cups of creamer setting beside it. Bruce sat and ate while the other man continued to make his own food, head down.

Hal sat down with his own plate as Bruce was nearly finished. He looked up, finally, and watched Bruce eat the last few bites of his food.

“Bruce,” Hal had started. Bruce stood instantly, dropping his plate in the sink and abandoning the open space for his bedroom.

He was certainly in no mood nor mind to talk to the Lantern about this revelation. He sat on his bed and picked up the book laying on the small shelf built into the wall beside it. Unfortunately, that turned out to be the same copy if Lord of the Flies he'd been rereading over the week. The book was quickly discarded back to the shelf. He sat in his chair and fished around for his minicomp. He was still too far away to get any kind of signal. They were only a day into the month long voyage home. He began to type. Not really focusing on the words. He was just typing to get the anxious energy out of his body.

It isn't until he's been typing for a good hour that he stops to actually read what it is he'd written. The man had written himself a nice little pros and cons list in regards to the situation. He read through his own thoughts, carefully considering each one.

Logic dictated that this was a very bad idea. He'd seen what happened when teammates who were romantic fell apart. He'd also seen success stories. Seen multiple cases of romantic couples being able to work alongside each other and separate. In the end when one of them fell in battle or otherwise, it was almost nearly as bad.

Meanwhile, that familiar fondness was creeping up his chest like vicious weeds, squeezing at his heart. The same fondness that attacked his sensibilities when he thought about his children or his father figure. 

Bruce quickly shut off the minicomp and laid down. He took his pillow and shoved it over his face. Suffocation would be better than this conflict.

It would have to be dealt with. Shut down. Immediately. He would need to remind the Lantern of his place.

Rather than stand and head back out to the main area to do such things, Bruce found himself falling back into sleep. No matter, he figured with the last grasps of consciousness. He could handle the details of it all when he awoke.


	6. Chapter 6

The next week was spent with Hal leaving dishes of food out and Bruce only leaving to eat when Hal was nowhere near by. Hal would knock on his door in between those times and ask for Bruce to come out, but would only be met with silence. And that was fine, he gave Bruce space and time to figure things out. 

Hal was never a patient man, though. Even with his emotions, he’d learned to process and come to terms with them lightning fast. You had to be quick on your feet to survive an on base lifestyle, where every Karen and her child would eat you out to the higher ups for even the slightest transgression that went against the suffocating unspoken rules of military families. Every breath Hal took was reflected back onto Martin Jordan. A kid like Hal had to think fast to hide from everyone for a long time to protect that pristine reputation. He wasn’t Hal on base, he wasn’t the bisexual disaster on base, he wasn’t the victim on base. He was the perfect military daughter because he thought fast enough to hide it all.

Having come to term with what everything that a confirmed soul mate situation could entail the ‘morning’ after they’d left for Earth, he was now sitting back and waiting for Bruce to get himself together with an ever thinning patience. Thus, he decided it was time for some action in his end.

Both Hal and Bruce worked on schedules as rigid as clockwork. Hal woke, showered and ate at the same time every day, even when he did or didn’t sleep very long. Occasional rests lasting for 24 or more hours notwithstanding. Bruce divided his available time for the most possible bang for his buck, optimizing his work to the highest degree. This worked to Hal’s advantage.

He made food at the allocated time and sat back at the controls, waiting for the sound of Bruce’s door opening. As soon as the light commotion in the kitchen was heard, Hal pulled up his controls. He locked the door to Bruce’s room, then his own. Hal locked the vigilante out of every possible escape.

Good, the asshole had had his chance to come and talk to Hal like an adult but he hadn’t. Now, Hal had to resort to treating him like a child. He didn’t move from the pilot’s chair after locking the exits, just waiting. Waiting for Bruce to get over himself and come to talk to the pilot.

There's a few minutes before Bruce actually opened the door to the crew cabin. He sulks. The Dark Knight actually, genuinely sulks as he takes the seat beside Hal. He turned to look at him, raising his eyebrows in a skeptical glance.

“You ready to grow up and talk to me?” Hal asked.

“No one needs to know about this.”

“The Lanterns already know about the terms of the negotiation. They _know_ we were intended to land on the planet. When we come back in one piece with a signed treaty, they will know and word travels fast with Lanterns.” He turned his eyes back to their path. At least the cold, dark familiarity of space helped to ease his nerves.

“Then you should use your seniority to your advantage and make sure that they don’t run their mouths.”

Hal gripped at the arms of his chair, standing. “I may be the most senior member of the 2814 Lanterns, but I will not abuse my position to hide something as childish as a soulmate status. I get it, Bruce. You don’t want anything to do with me outside of League business, but pretending and hiding shit doesn’t help anything. So if they find out, they find out. If it spreads, it spreads. And you can suck it up and deal with it.”

Bruce kept his head down. “I’m just trying to-“

“I don’t care what you’re trying to do. You already won. You got what you wanted, I stopped contacting you after you-I stopped. You can’t expect more from me. I’ve done everything you’ve asked from me, I’m not letting you ask for anything more!”

Hal’s chest heaved, the tightness stealing his breath warning him of his emotions starting to attack him. Anger and sadness and lingering anxiety pooled in his lungs and attacked him. He swiftly unlocked the blocks he’d put up and stole away to his room. He needed to lay down. He needed to sleep. The would help. Something had to help.

Bruce made no attempt to stand and follow. His own mind ran wild in an attempt to process everything Hal had said. Now, there isn’t a lot he could even say. He’d made this bed, and far from him to not lie in it. He had long ago closed a returning Hal Jordon out of his life. Literally closing the door in his face more than once at attempts to rekindle whatever budding feeling had decided to bloom when they were together.

He had reasons. Of course he did. He was grieving Jason. He was processing the loss of his second son, yet had pushed away the comfort that sought him out. He hadn’t deserved to be comforted for what had been his fault.

Tim was a good child, but he was a handful in himself, headstrong enough to be a problem in and of himself. He didn’t have time to entertain the pilot while trying to protect and train the next Robin.

And then Jason’s impermanent death has ended and his resurrection was a new set of problems and distractions that echo and ring though Gotham daily. No time to process his emotions toward his son and no time to think about his feelings towards Hal.

It was after things had settled down with Jason that Bruce had shut Hal down once and for all, he had thought. A final, curt response. “The answer will always be no. Stop wasting my time and quit bringing it up. You don’t have a place in my personal life, you’re a colleague.” He hears the words in his mind as fresh as the day he had said them to the pilot at his kitchen counter. He had said it in front of Alfred. In front of Dick. Hal had finally accepted it, it seemed, from the change in his entire body language. He had left immediately and the looks shot to him by both of the spectators to the confrontation would have murdered him if they could.

He didn’t have a reason or excuse that time. All he’d had was what Hal never did. Fear.

He hadn’t attempted to be personable or private with the vigilante, keeping himself at a distance except when provoked or when League missions brought them together. But Bruce still knew plenty. Hal was best friends with Barry and Wally was Dick’s best friend. Dick and Hal would talk to each other, friendly as can be since Hal had been there for Dick through difficult parts of transitioning that no one else seemed to be able to help him with. Kyle Rayner was surprisingly close to Jason and Jason was quietly devoted towards keeping in touch with his siblings. The grape vine provided him with all the ups and downs that were involved with the Lantern’s life. Each event, both good and bad, sent pains through his chest, but he kept himself at a distance.

And now? Now he had Damien. The boy had not even been with him a full year. He hadn’t even been fully comfortable with leaving him for the two month trip. It would be no time for anything.

This didn’t change anything. It couldn’t.

And Bruce had to accept that.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh yeah, we ain’t dead yet

Hal was locked in his bedroom when his ring flashed with a message. He lifted his hand to display the three light displays of his fellow senior lanterns as they flashed to life in front of him.

“Lantern 2814-1, Hal Jordan,” he stated on reflex.

“Jordan, you’re alive,” Guy Gardner laughed. “Still look like shit, though.”

“Yeah, thanks.“

John stepped in front of Guy. Huh, the two must be in the same place. Not so surprising to Hal anymore. “Hal, did you get into any fighting with the Amori?”

“Quite the latter.” Hal didn’t miss how Guy and Kyle’s holograms decided to share a look. “The entire thing went down perfectly.”

“For the Amorians,” Kyle clarified.

“Yes, thank you.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Everything involving the treaty went perfectly.”

“So that means-!” Guy started, but was quickly cut off by John pushing him away.

“You and the Batman—“

“Soulmates.”

“Holy fucking shit!”

“I so called this. Jay is going to lose his mind.”

“Stop.” Hal stated calmly, and the other Lanterns looked to their senior. “This is not to leave our circle. No one is to know the nature of the relationship established during this treaty mission. Bat’s orders.”

“Since when do we answer to the Bat?” Guy cut in.

“We don’t.” John turned to Guy. “But we need to keep a working relationship with him and the rest of the Gotham circle.”

“Cave.” Kyle cut in.

Hal sighed. “He is very determined to make sure no one is to be informed unless necessary. That means the rest of the 2814 Lanterns who knew what the conditions of the negotiations were. No one else. Understood?”

“Understood,” his seconds echoed back to him, Guy more reluctantly than John.

Hal turned his attention back to Kyle, who was shifting from foot to foot. Hal heard a shuffling from his line. “Rayner. Who is with you right now.” It was a command for a response, not a question for him to offer an answer to.

“Jason’s with me, Hal. He heard me say his name.” 

“I’m disconnecting. Two and a half weeks until expected return.” Hal’s tone was clipped and short. “Report status to Oa on my behalf.”

He closed the call and laid back on his bed. Fuck.

Fuck!

A bat kid was not going to let either of them live this down. Kyle was never one to keep information requested away from teammates. Or whatever Jason was to him. Who knows any more. If he hadn’t already told Jason what the mission his father had been whisked away on, then the former Robin would work the information out of the younger Lantern before the Junker got back to the Watchtower.

That would be great. Just great. A perfect homecoming after the negotiations they’d had.

The ring flashed again, this time opting to display a wall of text, imitating a messenger for the Earth Lanterns to use. Sometimes it was easier than relaying mental messages ringing through his head like a game of Telephone with himself. Especially during low energy times when focusing his energy onto the sound of voices was deemed too heavy of a task, Hal was thankful for the many alternative ways of contact that existed between Lanterns at the aid of the rings.

**2814-4:** Okay so before you eat me alive and like get pissy and cancel back to earth rehab I didn’t tell Jason because technically it was Guy who yelled about you being soulmates and you were the one who detailed what Bruce’s demands were and it’s Jason and I can never lie to him he gets this pissy pouty look on his face and then he sulks like a kicked puppy and I can’t stand it I had to explain what all was happening and I had no idea the mission was going to be a success or else I wouldn’t have let him in the room because like come on it’s you and Bruce who could ever predict the two of you being soulmates I mean in hindsight it makes a whole lot of sense but like honestly you can’t blame me for that come on Hal please don’t be mad

Hal rolled his eyes, smiling fondly. He really couldn’t be genuinely mad at his fellow Lanterns often, not his 2814s anyways, and especially not the ones beyond the original three. He would go to blows with Guy before he’d even think of raising his voice to Jessica. And even when he did get mad, it never lasted long. He was getting soft in his old age.

**2814-1:** Don’t worry about it, Ky. We’re still on for returnhab.

“Return to Earth Rehab”-or more often shortened to “Returnhab”-was the name given to decompressing Lanterns who returned from deep space missions. They mostly consisted of regaining equilibrium, packing weight back on for the chance that they wouldn’t be able to eat for the foreseeable future, and basically building a pillow and blanket fort in the returning Lantern’s apartment, assuming Hal still had his, and devolving into a giant cuddle puddle to watch sports or movies. Never the news unless something major happened.

Kyle sent a string of hearts, followed by a sketch of a tiny, sleeping Hal, and then disconnected. Hal rolled his eyes fondly, rolling over to his side to close his eyes.

If Jason knew, that means the rest of the Batkids would learn soon enough. And if the Batkids knew that meant that the word would spread to the Titans, and then to the League. Everyone would know. He’d have to talk to Bruce about it.....

Fuck that. He needed a nap.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This Took Forever Sorry

He had needed a nap, and in deep space deprived of medications and very little concept of the passing of time, sometimes that meant you slept for nearly 30 hours. It was probably not healthy. It was definitely not healthy. Being so exhausted that your body broke away from the years of military training beaten into your sleep schedule is quite the feat, all things considered. Coming out of what technically qualified as a coma, Hal decided that he would need food before he even thought about talking to Bruce. 

Fate was never kind, though. Bruce was sitting at the kitchen island, staring into a coffee mug, looking at the inside like it had personally insulted his mother.

Hal sidled over to him, trying to feign normalcy. He looked around his shoulder at the mug. The inside looked completely black. “Bruuuce—What is that?”

“Coffee.”

“Coffee?”

“It’s supposed to be coffee,” He relented.

Hal took the mug from him. “This looks like…Sludge. Who taught you how to make coffee?”

“No one successfully.”

“And unsuccessfully?”

“All of my kids—“

“Yikes.”

“—And Alfred.”

“Why do you suck so hard—phrasing—at every single thing a non functioning human should be able to do?” He rinsed out the mug, then the pot, while Bruce sat there like the useless lump of a billionaire he was. “I swear you know more useless shit than I do and yet you can’t even make a cup of Joe.”

“They’re not useless,” He huffed.

“Ah, my apologies. Useless for anyone who isn’t a secret vigilante. Dumbass.”

“Me? I’m the dumbass?” He rose up, but Hal turned to point the scrubbing wool at him.

“Yes, Mr. I’m-Going-to-Absolutely-Ruin-the-Only-Coffee-Pot, you’re the dumbass. Sit down.” He turned back to try and scrub the poor thing clean.

Bruce glared, lowering himself down back into his seat. “I’m not the one who slept for a day and a half.”

“Aww, Spooky, you don’t need to get upset with me because I actually know what sleep is.” Hal rinsed the last bits of sludge from the pot and went to actually make coffee. “Am I to assume that you haven’t eaten yet?”

“....I haven’t.”

“You’re useless.” Hal laughed, getting out some dry rations, deciding against cooking. He passed half the share to Bruce, settling himself down in the seat across from him. “So...We need to have a discussion.”

“What did you do?”

“You should be asking ‘What did Guy Gardener do?’.”

Bruce glared.

“Okay, okay. Simmer down. Remember, you need me alive to pilot the junker.”

“I’ve managed it without you before.”

“Well, I’m too handsome to kill.”

“Hal.”

“Okay! So, you know that the other Lanterns know about the mission so obviously they know about what the status is so...Yeah, they know about. Us.”

“There is no us.”

“You know what I fucking mean. About the soulmate thing. I had a call with the rest of the core four of us lassssst-yesterday night. Or day. Whatever time. But...It wasn’t just us with ears on the call.”

“So, someone else heard. Explicitly?”

“The word soulmate was used.”

“Who was it?”

Hal looked over at the coffee maker. “Promise you won’t be mad.”

“I will do no such thing.”

“Yeah I figured,” Hal sighed, “Your son heard.”

“I have multiple.”

“Fucking—Jason! It was Jason. He was with Kyle when John called us all for a status check.” 

Bruce sat silently for a minute, staring at Hal. He stood and turned to leave. Hal reached out to grab his arm, pulling him back over the table for them to meet in the middle.

“Oh, no. You don’t get to run away from this! We have to actually face each other.”

“Everyone will know by the time we’re earth side.”

Hal rolled his eyes. “You don’t know that!”

“I do!” He snapped, pulling out of Hal’s grip. “You think he won’t go running to tell the rest of the Robins? Or his other Outlaws?”

Hal jumped over the table to follow after Bruce as he tried to stalk off. “I don’t understand why this matters! Everyone knows you can’t stand me.”

“Allies don’t matter! What matters is if that stupid rumor spreads to enemies. People who don’t know better than to believe that because they don’t know our relationship.” Bruce kept moving, throwing his hands up in the air. “Misinformation is just as dangerous.”

“Okay, point.” He scratched at his neck, letting him go. “I’m sure Kyle will keep Jason under control.”

The words sounded more like a lie the longer Hal stood in the hallway, long after Bruce had slid his door closed.


End file.
